Saturday, August 16, 2008
Yamazaki 12 yo (old official bottling)
Another review by Serge Valentin. I am taking a bit of a punt with the photo because Serge does not have access to images of the original bottles from which his samples came. I am guessing that this old official bottling is one from the period when Suntory liked to calls its single malts "Pure malts" and bottled a Yamazaki 12 at 43 per cent under that flag.
Review by Nonjatta contributor - Serge Valentin
Visit Serge`s website, the definitive Whiskyfun.com.
"Yamazaki 12 yo (43%, OB, bottled in the 1980’s)
Nose: Drier and more phenolic than the more recent 15yo. Tea, sandalwood, cedar wood, patchouli… Gets maltier after that. Hints of olive oil, waxed paper, fresh almonds. Less sexy, I’d say. No OBE yet on the nose.
Mouth: We’re extremely close to the 15yo now, with roughly the same profile. Same rather big dryness. Grassy. Bigger spiciness arising, though (pepper, mustard.) Not an easy whisky. Finish: long, peppery, liquoricy and a little resinous.
Comments: Very punchy and very, very spicy old Yamazaki.
SGP:362 – 80 points." (Serge`s scoring system is explained on this page.)